


Recall Me at a Bound

by clgfanfic



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-09
Updated: 2012-11-09
Packaged: 2017-11-18 06:33:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/557956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack ends up in trouble a long way from home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recall Me at a Bound

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine New Worlds and False Gods #4 under the pen name Becca Koldfurr.
> 
> This was originally a War of the Worlds story and was turned into a Stargate fic.

It was rather like trying to run on glass marbles while a barrage of cap guns went off under his feet, and it was the first sensation to cut through Jack O'Neill's focused attention as he tracked after two snake-hooded Jaffa.  The second was an overwhelming shock as cold water wrapped around his legs, sucking him down and squeezing the breath out of his lungs in a blinding rush.

          Fighting to stop the gasp that threatened to choke at the back of his throat, he kicked out, watching helplessly as the ice closed over his head.  _Shit!_

          Driving a hand into the glistening crystal trap, he found it gave easily.  _Popcorn ice. Lights years from home, and I find popcorn ice.  Wonderful.  Fucking wonderful_.

          He kicked out, forcing himself up into the floating mass of broken water, his lungs already burning, demanding that he find oxygen – immediately.

          His fingers clawed through the nickel-sized nuggets as he forced himself to the surface.  His face pressed into the cold air of PX1-971, sucking huge, involuntary gulps of air into his desperate lungs while his hands frantically sought for a section of ice that would support his weight.

          He found the edge of the circle he had pierced into the surface of the frozen pond, or lake, or ocean for all he knew, and tried to pull himself free of the numbing cold, but the ice immediately crumbled, dropping him back into the icy water.

          Cursing silently, Jack kicked to the surface again and paused, treading water, concentrating on slowing his rapid pants to forestall hyperventilation and frantically checking what he could see of the landscape in case the snakeheads had heard.

          He concentrated on the treeline nearby.  Movement?  More of Apophis' troops?  _Damn.  Where are my people?_

          He glanced around, peering through the thickly falling snow for his teammates, but there was nothing.  Maybe they had found SG-3, or SG-6, and were headed back to the Gate like he'd instructed.  He could only hope so – the forest and abandoned mine sites were teeming with Jaffa.  But he had little faith that his team would actually follow his orders.  Not when he'd stayed behind to cover their escape, and then failed to re-join them at the promised time.

          He kicked sluggishly, the cold water already beginning to weaken his arms and legs as he worked his way around the ice shelf only to have it continue to disintegrate under his every touch.

          _Damn, damn, damn!_

          He was in trouble.  Serious trouble.  Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes was all it would take, and he really didn't want to die on some alien planet God only knew how far from Earth.

          His right leg locked in a vice-like cramp and he slipped back into the loose ice, groping for his calf.  _No good.  You want to drown?  Kick, mister!_ he ordered himself.

          He fumbled numbly for the surface.  Righting himself in the water, he paddled with his arms, pistoning both of his legs, the last twinges of the inevitable cramps still sparking through his calf like jolts from a cattle prod.

          Breathing deeply and slowly, he eased forward again, pounding angrily on the ice until it finally refused to crumble.  Easing his arms out onto the denser surface, he pressed.  There were several sharp cracks, but it held.

          "O'Neill."

          Jack's head snapped up and he immediately spotted Teal'c making his way toward him as quickly as the large man could in the nearly hip-deep snow.  The crude snow-shoes they had fashioned for themselves helped him, but the Jaffa still sank to his knees with each step.

          "Stay back!" Jack called as best he could, but his voice was no more than a gasping wheeze.

          Teal'c came to an abrupt halt.  "O'Neill, hold on, I will–"

          "Stay right where you are!" Jack hollered, his voice a little stronger this time. "That's an order!"

          "Colonel?" Carter called, emerging from the trees not far away from the Jaffa. She was also pushing through the snow as quickly as she could, Daniel right on her heels.

          _Well, at least they're all okay_.  "Listen to me!" Jack called to all three of his team members.  "I can't see where the shore is.  This is popcorn ice.  Stay back or we'll all be in a mess!"  He pressed again and the section under his hands and arms fractured, bubbling and bobbing like ice chips in a glass of soda.  "Move back to the trees!"

          "You'll freeze to death!" Daniel argued, but he moved closer to the tall snow-weighted pines as he'd been ordered, Teal'c helping him along with a firm grip on his arm.

          "Not if I can help it," Jack muttered, moving forward again, testing.  It was growing more and more difficult – and painful – to keep kicking, but he didn't have a choice.  He'd be helpless in a few minutes, the cramps getting worse with each second he remained in the freezing water.

          He tested the surface again, the ice creaking, but holding for the time being. Jack allowed himself to sink below the surface, testing for a bottom, just in case it was more shallow than he thought.  It wasn't.  He heard the yell as soon as he surfaced.

          "Jack!" Daniel called.

          "For cryin' out– _Stay back!_ " he hollered again, the water running off his face almost choking him on the last word.  He coughed and shook his head as he watched Teal'c force the archeologist back, Carter helping him this time.

          Then, reaching out again, Jack extended his arms forward onto the stronger ice and scissored his legs as hard as he could to bring his body almost parallel to the surface of the water.  Taking a deep breath, he kicked out again with all the strength he had left, driving his body forward onto the solid surface of the ice.

          He wiggled forward as quickly as he could toward the trees.  Pops and cracks told him the ice was beginning to fracture and splinter under him again.  _Hurry!_ he screamed to himself.

          Pushing as hard as he could, Jack only inched forward, his limbs too sluggish to comply with his demand for speed.  He wasn't going to make it.

          He started to close his eyes, accepting the inevitable, but then Teal'c's hands grabbed his parka sleeve, pulling him off the surface of the cracking ice in a single mighty yank.  He heard the ice give way with a frustrated growl. 

          Wrapped in the Jaffa's arms, pressed against his chest, Jack stared up at Teal'c impassive expression.  "Thanks," he wheezed, still stunned that he'd been snatched from the brink of death by the powerful alien.

          Teal'c nodded as the muted silence of the snow-blanketed mountains returned, but he did not release the officer.

          "Uh, you can let go of me now," Jack added.

          "I do not believe that would be wise, O'Neill," rumbled the deep, almost deadpan reply.

          "I'm fine…  Let go," Jack replied.

          Teal'c's eyebrows arched in response to the assessment, but he did as Jack had asked.

          As soon as O'Neill's weight hit his knees they immediately gave way and he dropped into the deep snow.  He sighed heavily at the Jaffa's proffered hand.  He reached up and took it, letting the powerful man pull him to his feet.

          "God, Jack, you're soaking wet," Daniel said, reaching out to steady the man when he swayed dangerously.

          "Ya think?" was his sarcastic reply.  "We're surrounded by snakeheads and lost in the middle of a blizzard.  The fact that I'm wet isn't really important right now, Daniel."

          The blond blinked once, then replied, "Sorry.  Just thought you'd like to know."

          O'Neill rolled his eyes and swayed again.  Civilians, they just didn't understand priorities.  Shivering, he started to check his H&K MP-5, but a flash of movement in the nearby trees stalled the activity.  He reached out clumsily, grabbing the shoulder of Daniel's parka and shoving him toward the cover offered by the thick evergreens.

          "What is it?" Carter asked after she and Teal'c quickly followed the pair into the dark shadows.

          Jack pulled Daniel down into a crouch inside a ring of low hanging, snow-coated pine boughs at the base of one particularly large tree, the other two doing the same beside them.

          "I saw one of the snakeheads," Jack said quietly.

          Teal'c gaze was instantly sweeping the forest through the wall of falling snow as best he could, but he saw nothing.  "Are you certain, O'Neill?"

          "Oh yeah," Jack replied.  _Damn_.  What the hell were Apophis' troops doing at abandoned naquada mines in the middle of nowhere anyway?  The locals they'd met on the planet had said it had been at least a couple of generations since the Goa'uld had visited last.  And why weren't the Jaffa smart enough to seek shelter when the storm hit?  Unless whatever it was they were doing was so important that Apophis was willing to sacrifice the lives of his soldiers doing the work.  He wouldn't put it past the bastard.

          His hands shaking, Jack checked to see if the communications speaker was still in his left ear – it was too numb to tell otherwise.  It was.  The small device was attached to a wire that ran down the back of his neck, through a slit in his shirt, then plugged into the Motorola transceiver secured to his combat harness.  He adjusted the filament mike so it was perched just below his lower lip again, then said, "Hey, anybody hear me?"

          "I can hear you quite clearly, O'Neill," Teal'c replied, his attention still focused on the trees and shadows.

          O'Neill almost grinned, but he was too cold to bother.  "Red Six to Blue Six, you read me?  Harrison, you out there?"

          Nothing.

          He tried again.  "Red Six to Yellow Six, do you copy?  Hey, Derriman, you getting this?"

          Still nothing.  SG-3 and SG-6 were not responding.  The additional SGC teams had been checking the two other abandoned mines, SG-1 taking the largest of three sites when they'd all seen the Jaffa workers.

          Unfortunately a couple of Apophis' troops had also spotted SG-1 – as they had tried to sneak into the mine in order to see what was up – chasing them into the trees just as the storm had begun to pick up, creating almost whiteout conditions.  At least the weather had allowed them to escape their pursuers, but they were now well and truly lost in the woods.  _And the big bad snakeheads are probably still looking for us_ , he thought.

          "Waterlogged?" Carter asked in a whisper, reaching to activate her own radio.

          O'Neill shook his head.  "Waterproof.  The storm must be causing the interference.  Or they've moved out of range.  But give it a try, just in case."

          The captain quickly tried contacting the two teams.  "Nothing, sir."

          Teal'c raised his hand, commanding the others to silence.  He gripped his staff weapon and waited, ready for battle.  Moments later three Jaffa passed by the trees where the four huddled in the damp shadows.

          Jack gripped his submachine gun tightly, his hands trembling.  He ground his teeth together to stop them from chattering, but his body still shook from the cold that was slowly melting into his muscles and bones like an acid.  He stifled a moan as a wave of pain rattled beneath his ribs.  Three more Jaffa passed by on the other side of the tree where they hid, each of them carrying a small wooden crate, and apparently following the others, who were also toting similar burdens.

          _Are they looking for us, or just carrying out the orders they've been given?_ O'Neill wondered.  There was just no way to know, and he had no intention of asking the Jaffa.

          When the six were gone, Jack pushed stiffly to his feet, fumbling with a pocket on his parka.

          "Can I help, sir?" Carter offered.

          "N-need the c-compass," he said, allowing the captain to reach into his bulky pocket and pull out the device.

          Handing it to him, she scrutinized O'Neill's floundering actions for a moment before she took stock of the whole picture.  The colonel was flushed, shivering, breathing hard, and his coordination was impaired.  Not good signs.  How long could he realistically stay in those wet clothes?  Where could they find shelter to dry them?

          Jack pressed the lid on the compass closed, then shoved it back into his pocket.

          Sam pulled off one of her gloves and reached out, her fingers searching for a pulse at the colonel's neck.

          "Carter, w-what're you d-doing?"

          "Colonel, you're–"

          "For cryin' out loud, Captain.  We've gotta p-put some d-distance between us and t-those troops.  See if we can f-find SG-3 or 6, or the Gate… or s-some k-kind of s-shelter."

          "Jack–" Daniel started.

          "I know, I know," he said, holding up his hand to stop the comments he knew were coming.  "Let's g-get the hell outta Dodge, c-campers.  Then we'll deal with drying out."  He immediately moved further into the trees and the others had no choice but to follow him.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Sir, no sign of Colonel O'Neill or SG-1," Sgt. Stevens panted after slogging through the snow to join Major Harrison and the rest of SG-3 at their rendezvous location.

          "Damn it," Major Michael Harrison hissed.  Reaching out, he grabbed the backup radio from A1C Stein's waiting hand.  "John, we can't find them.  All sweeps are negative.  Repeat, negative.  Over?"

          On the other end Captain John Derriman, commander of SG-6, cursed softly. "Affirmative, Mike – search is negative.  Saddle up and get moving.  There's another storm coming in, according to the atmospheric pressure readings we're getting.  You're already pushing your luck.  Over?"

          "We can't just leave SG-1 out here," Harrison argued.

          "We don't have a choice, Mike… contacted…"  Derriman's voice faded with a series of crackle, then finally returned.  "…MALP.  General Hammond ordered both teams to report back to SGC immediately."

          "I don't like it," Harrison growled into the receiver.  "There's something in these mines the snakeheads want – badly – if they're out in this kind of storm."

          "I don't like it either," the captain sighed, "but it's not our call.  The situation is an attack condition, Alpha.  Repeat, attack condition, Alpha.  We'll meet you at the DHD and return at once.  Over?"

          Harrison's gaze locked on his team.  He had no idea where O'Neill and the others were, but he couldn't continue to risk the lives of his own people. "Affirmative," he replied.  "Attack condition, Alpha.  We'll meet you at Victor Three."

          "You did your best, Mike.  We all did," Derriman said.

          "It wasn't good enough.  Blue Six, out," Harrison replied, then handed the radio back to Stein.

          "They haven't been captured," Lt. Lynn Coleman insisted softly.

          Major Harrison's blue eyes flashed.  "We don't know that."

          Coleman looked away, embarrassed.  Harrison was right – they didn't know for sure.  But she couldn't see Colonel O'Neill, or SG-1, letting the aliens get the drop on them, and there were no reports of gunfire, but the weather would make it a lot easier to move up on someone undetected, and SG-1 had reported that they were being pursued by Jaffa at the mine…  "Sorry, sir."

          "It's all right, Lieutenant; Jack and Sam are my friends, too.  Saddle up, people," Derriman said.  "We're heading for the DHD."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Lt. Goodson stomped his way through the knee-deep snow to join the rest of his team.  "Captain, Franklin says we'd better hurry.  Looks like there are some more Jaffa headed in this direction, and that second storm's just about here."

          Captain Derriman nodded.  "All right, people, let's move."

          "SG-1 will be fine," Sgt. McCullough said matter-of-factly as SG-6 began the trek back to the Stargate.  "Jack O'Neill knows what to do out here."

          "I know," Derriman said, but he was still worried.  They hadn't expected any Goa'uld, but there had been at least a hundred of Apophis' Jaffa moving around the old mines and through the surrounding forest.  And they had stayed out there, working, doing whatever it was they were doing while the weather turned from a light snowfall to a full-blown blizzard.  Talk about dedicated – or stupid.  "I just hate leaving some our own behind in this."

          "Maybe they'll make it to the Gate, sir," Airman Chaves offered hopefully.

          "Maybe," Derriman replied, but he had a feeling that just wasn't going to happen.  Not this time.  Hammond would send a rescue team, of that he was sure, but God only knew if it would be enough, or in time.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Teal'c led the way as they headed back toward the Stargate.  Jack followed doggedly on his heels and Carter had to push herself to stay even with them, the exertion causing her chest and nose to burn as she sucked in the cold, wet air.  Occasionally she reached out, steadying Jack when he tripped over some unseen obstacle buried in the snow.  How the man managed the demanding pace in his condition was a complete mystery to her.  But then, a lot about Colonel Jack O'Neill was still a mystery to her.

          Daniel also kept pace with them, staying just a step or two behind  Sam so he could watch Jack.  Hypothermia was the real danger, he decided, wishing he knew more about the symptoms and the treatment.  And what about frostbite?  Wouldn't that be a danger, too?  _How long do we have?_ he wondered.  _What can I do?  What if–?_

          The archeologist squinted through the white wall falling around them, refusing to pursue the rapidly depressing train of thought any further.        More and more of the thick, wet precipitation pummeled them as the wind picked up more, but the parkas kept them dry.  However, the snow also obscured the landscape and the landmarks they had been using.  Teal'c stopped, admitting that he was unsure of the direction, and Jack checked the compass, held tightly in trembling hands.  He pointed to the southwest and Teal'c nodded.

          Daniel exchanged a worried glance with Sam.  They both knew that it would be impossible to continue too much longer.  They wouldn't be able to see where they were going, and they were sinking further and further into the snow as it piled higher…

          _Then what're we going to do?_ Daniel wondered.  _How much longer can we go on?  My chest and my feet are killing me.  Jack's gotta be in worse shape…_

          Then they were off again, moving at the same brutal pace.  Daniel watched his friend.  O'Neill's stumbling gait was growing more uncoordinated, and that frightened the archeologist.  _What can I do for him even if we do find shelter?  I won't know how to help him unless he's conscious to tell me.  But Sam should know, right?_ he asked himself.  _Can we find shelter if we have to?_

          He sucked in a deep breath.  _Don't panic_ , he told himself.  _We'll figure something out.  We always do_.

          "Teal'c, wait.  This way," Jack said thickly, altering course, Teal'c moving quickly to his side.

          Sam and Daniel both sucked in several deep breaths, then jogged through the deep snow to catch the pair.

          "Jack, where are we going?" Daniel asked.

          The colonel stumbled to a stop and glanced around.  "Hell if I know," he replied just before his eyes rolled up and he started to fall.

          Teal'c caught him, slinging Jack easily up onto his shoulder.  "There were rock outcrops along the western edge of this depression," the Jaffa stated.  "There should be caves there as well.  I believe that is what Colonel O'Neill was thinking when he altered course.  And I do not believe he will survive to reach the Stargate in this weather."

          Carter nodded.  "I think you're right, Teal'c .  Let's go."

          Daniel's hand snared Teal'c arm before he could move.  "Look," he whispered, nodding.

          Teal'c peered through the snow.  More of the Jaffa.  They were moving steadily, many of them carrying the same small crates they had seen the other Jaffa with earlier. The cold did not affect the alien soldiers as much as it did the Tau'ri, but they still moved with their heads down, trying to protect their faces from the stinging snow.  If that were not the case, SG-1 would have been seen and captured.

          "Come on," Sam said, pulling Teal'c away from the Jaffa and toward the cover of a small stand of thick evergreens.  They pushed into the snow-laden boughs, disappearing from sight until the last of the soldiers had passed.

          "What do you think is in those crates?" Carter asked Teal'c.

          "I do not know, Captain Carter.  I do not remember ever hearing about this planet."

          "Whatever it is," Daniel said, "it's important to Apophis.  But why isn't he using the Stargate?"

          "Maybe this was just a quick stop on his way someplace else," Sam offered.

          "Maybe," Daniel agreed.  "But I know whatever he's doing, we wouldn't like it."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Sir, we can't just leave them out there," Dr. Fraiser argued, her hands coming up to rest defiantly on her hips.

          General Hammond shifted uncomfortably under her dark glare – it bore an uncanny resemblance to the colonel's when he was severely pissed, and he wondered briefly if she had any idea that was the case.

          "I'm sorry, Doctor, but I'm afraid that's the way it has to be for the time being.  I can't risk more lives in that kind of weather, and even if I did send through a rescue team, they wouldn't be able to track SG-1 in blizzard conditions.  And we know Apophis' troops are in the area with SG-1.  We have to assume that they've been captured–"

          "You aren't going back to look?"

          Hammond's head came up.  "Yes, of course we are.  Just as soon as I can get someone safely back there."

          She dipped her head.  "My apologies, sir.  I was out of line."

          His gaze dropped to the floor, then rose slowly to meet hers again.  "We won't abandon them, Doctor.  You can be sure of that."

          Janet felt her anger slip away.  From the look on his face, the general was as worried and as frustrated as she.  "I know that, sir.  And I am sorry.  I never meant to imply otherwise.  I'm just worried.  Occupational hazard."  She took a deep breath.  "How long before we can send a rescue team?"

          "According to the latest weather data, it looks like six, maybe eight hours before we get a substantial break in the current storm.  I'm sending in a Pararescue Squad, one of the best, but it's still going to take them some time to reach SG-1's last known location and conduct a search."  He shook his head.  "If they've been captured, they might not even be on PX1-971 any longer."

          "Do you really believe that, sir?"

          Hammond sighed heavily.  "All of our data said that the area around the abandoned mines was uninhabited.  Even the locals assured us that it would be safe; that they hadn't seen any Goa'uld troops in two generations.

Yet, somehow, a hundred Jaffa were there doing God knows what.  We were damned lucky _all_ of our people weren't captured."

          She nodded.  "And SG-3 and 6 have no idea what Apophis' troops were doing at those mines?"

          "None, really," Hammond said sadly, looking down at the dark embarkation room.  "They were seen removing small wooden crates from all three mines, each container about a foot square, but what was in them is a complete mystery."

          Janet nodded, wondering how long the general had been standing at the observation window, staring at the deactivated Gate.  SG-1 was special to him, to all of them, and had been from the beginning of the project.  Their loss would be a significant blow to the entire SGC.  But there was still a chance, and she knew she would cling to that.  SG-1 might have been forced to hide, or maybe they had found a way into the mines, or maybe they had been captured, and were on their way to Apophis himself…

          "Doctor?"

          She looked up, glad to be pulled from her increasingly depressing thoughts.  She met Hammond's concerned gaze.  "They'll be fine," she said. "Colonel O'Neill always seems to pull them through."

          "That's true," Hammond replied.  "I just hope his luck hasn't finally run out."

          She sighed.  "I'll go make sure the rescue squad has all the necessary medical supplies."

          "Thank you, Doctor."

          She paused before leaving.  "Don't worry, sir.  They're the best.  They'll bounce back, just like always.  They'll get out of whatever trouble they're in.  Call it my intuition."

          A thin smile parted the shadows in the general's eyes, but couldn't lift them.  "I want to believe you, Doctor, but I get paid to worry."

          Janet nodded, then turned and left.

          Even a concentrated effort could not stop the general from turning back to stare at the dark Gate again.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Think they're looking for us?" Daniel whispered.

          "I don't know," was the succinct reply.  "I can't tell."

          "I do not believe so, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c added softly.  "They appear to be collecting something.  They are probably transporting whatever is in those crates to a waiting ship."

          Several more minutes passed before the Jaffa were all out of sight.  Then a soft hum echoed through the snow, growing steadily louder.  A large ship lifted off, rising slowly into the sky to be swallowed quickly by the clouds.

          The team waited several more minutes before finally easing out of the trees and continuing on their way, the snow swirling around them like blown cotton.  How Teal'c knew they were still heading toward the western edge of the area, neither Sam nor Daniel was sure, but they trusted the man.  They didn't have any other choice.

          When Daniel's steps grew increasingly stiff and uncoordinated he asked, "How much further?"

          "N-not much… I t-think," was Sam's slurred, laborious reply.

          "Good.  That's g-good," Daniel muttered to himself, then watched the woman stride obliviously into the boughs of a large evergreen.

          She stumbled back and dropped to her knees in the snow.

          "Sam?" he said, moving to help her up.  "What's wrong?"

          "I d-didn't s-see it."

          "Captain Carter," Teal'c said, even the Jaffa beginning to sound tired, "are you able to continue?"

          "Yeah, I'm okay.  Let's keep going," she replied as Daniel hooked an arm under hers and pulled her to her feet.

          "Hey," Jack grumbled, waving his arms weakly.  "Put me down," he slurred.  "'m f-fine…"

          Teal'c set the man on his feet, he and the others watching with growing concern as Jack's eyelids dropped closed, his chin bobbing toward his chest.

          "Colonel?" Sam said.  "Colonel?  Wake up!"  She reached out and gave the soldier a solid shake.

          "Huh?" Jack replied, his hand dropping automatically for his weapon.  "Where are they?"

          "Who?" Daniel asked, looking around and not finding anything except snow… and more snow.

          "The snakeheads," Jack said, squinting.  "Where…  W-where's the m-mine?"

          Teal'c grabbed hold of O'Neill's water- and snow-soaked parka and started off again, dragging Jack along with him.  "We are not at the mine any longer, O'Neill.  We are searching for shelter along the western rim."

          "Western rim?" Jack murmured.  "We're not at the m-mine?  We should be at the m-mine… g-got t' find out what the snakeheads were

After…"  The words stalled when a severe shiver rattled through his body, forcing him back to his knees.

          "No, Jack, get up."  Daniel helped Teal'c pulled the Jack to his feet. "Come on, Apophis' troops aren't here anymore.  They took off in a transport.  We have to find shelter before they find us, or we all freeze to death."

           Another shiver passed through him before he responded, "'m tired… think I'll just take a nap…"

          Jack tried to fall back into the snow, but Teal'c caught him, giving him a rough shake that popped his eyes back open.  "Do not sleep O'Neill."

          "Hey, cut it out," was the surly reply as Jack slapped ineffectually at the Jaffa's glove-covered hands.  "Didn't you hear?  Naps are good for you."

          "Jack, s-stop it," Daniel snapped.  "You're acting crazy.  We have to keep moving; find shelter."

          "D-don't give me orders, D-Daniel," Jack replied, pulling free of Teal'c grip and stumbling off several steps.

          Carter fell into step at his side.  "You're right, Colonel, you know where to go, right?  Where's the western rim?"

          O'Neill stopped, groping for his compass.  He checked it, squinting at the face for several seconds before closing the cover and returning it to his pocket.  "This way," he said and started off again.

          "We're right behind you, sir," Carter said.

          Jack managed three steps before he pitched forward into the snow.  Teal'c reached down and picked him up, slinging him over his shoulder for a second time.  "We must hurry," he said.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          In the embarkation room Major Richard Paul checked his men over while trying to ignore the anxious aura that clung to the personnel in the observation room above them.

          "Okay, people, let's get this in gear," Paul barked, trying not to stare at the activated gate and the shimmering event horizon that rippled there like some magic pond suspended in mid-air.  "Lieutenant?"

          "Everyone's ready, sir.  Locked and loaded," Lt. Phil Jarred replied.

          "Master Sergeant?"

          "Medical supplies have been double-checked.  We should have everything we need," Bill "Bull" Richards reported.  "The last weather report from on-site showed three to four feet of snow on the ground, light snow falling, and pressure just beginning to build."

          "All right, people, listen up," Major Paul said, and his Pararescue team crowded in closer.  Off to the side, Hammond and Dr. Fraiser watched and waited.

          "Bull, Martin, Green, I want a search grid laid out for a thorough 360-sweep from SG-1's last known position.  Gregg, establish a link to the MALP and monitor it. I want to know when the storm's gonna break, and when the next one's due in."

          "Yes, sir," Gregg replied.

          "Samson, you and Akin get a complete cold weather aid station ready to go, just in case."

          "Yes, sir," the pair chorused.

          "Phil, you and I will see if we can't make radio contact.  If we can't, I want you to help with the grid, and get the probes into the air as soon as possible."

          Lt. Jarred nodded.

          "Okay, guys, we're goin' in and we're stayin' until we find 'em."

          The seven Air Force Red Berets nodded, moving off to check their equipment and weapons one last time – redundancy was survival.

          Major Paul sighed heavily, then turned to the general.  "Sir, any idea how many Jaffa we might be facing?"

          Hammond shook his head.  "None.  SG-3 and 6 both agreed it looked to be about a hundred total, but we have no idea if there are more, or if they might not be reinforced by now – if they've captured SG-1.  Or they might be gone for all we know.  We'll give you all the support we can, but until we can get the airborne probes up, I'm afraid you and your men will be working blind."

          The general cleared his throat, then added, "Good luck, Major.  We'll have five more squads there to support you in less than an hour.  They're being briefed on the situation as we speak.  Three of those teams will handle the abandoned mine sites.  Their mission is search and destroy, but if they come across our people, they have orders to do whatever is necessary to free them.  The other two will hold and protect the Stargate and DHD.  If you need additional people, you can pull one of the teams off the Gate.  So far the Jaffa SG-3 and 6 saw haven't approached the Gate – at least not so the MALP can identify – but we have no idea if they will.  I want you and your people to work on the assumption that SG-1 is out there somewhere, hiding and waiting for an opportunity to return to the Stargate."

          "Will do, sir," the major said.  "If they're there, we'll find them."

          "I'm counting on that, Major," was Hammond's reply.  "You may leave when ready."

          Major Paul waited for his men to complete their final check, then led the way up the ramp to the Stargate.  He paused for a brief moment, still slightly awed by the fact that he and the others were about to step from one planet to another.  Then, with a deep breath, he marched through the event horizon, the others following.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          The snow seemed to hang in the air like thick, white drapes, closing off their vision.  Jack had regained consciousness again and now stumbled along next to Teal'c, his gait stiff and mechanical, his eyes focused on some vision playing itself out only a few inches in front of his nose.

          Daniel kept step with Sam.  He was cold and miserable, and he knew that Jack must feel it more with his water-soaked clothing.  They hadn't seen any more of the Jaffa, but he was sure some of them were still out there, watching them, waiting until they succumbed.  They weren't going to make it this time…  Their luck had run out… they were going to freeze to death, or Apophis was finally going to find them, and then they would die… over and over again.

          _No!  Stop it_ , he snapped at himself.  He was letting the cold get to him.  He forced his gaze to Jack; watching him took his mind off all the possibilities.  He frowned.  Jack had stopped shivering.  That frightened Daniel more than all his mental flights of doom and disaster.

          "Jack?" he said.  "Jack?  Are you all right?"

          "'m too tired t' talk, Daniel," the soldier said, slowing.  He sank down on a large rock that was sticking halfway out of the snow.  "Tell ya what, I'll wait here, you guys go on."

          Carter's eyes grew wide.  "Sir, you'll f-freeze to death out h-here."  Her teeth chattered noisily.  "We have to k-keep m-m-moving."

          "It's not much farther.  Right, Teal'c?" Daniel asked.

          "Daniel Jackson is correct.  I believe the rim is just ahead – a short distance."

          "Come on, Jack," Daniel said, reaching out for the man's arm.

          "Told you I don't take orders from civilians," Jack replied, awkwardly jerking his arm away.

          "We must continue, O'Neill," Teal'c stated, grabbing hold of the man's jacket and yanking him up.

          "Leave me alone," Jack grumbled, trying to brush the Jaffa's hands away.

          "I cannot."

          "You have to m-m-move, Colonel," Sam said.  "Now, or I'll order Teal'c to k-kick your b-butt all the way down this m-m-m-mountain."

          Jack chuckled.  "Sound just like me, Carter."

          Sam smiled tiredly, trying to force the sudden wave of fear back.  She couldn't give in, couldn't let them just sit down and die.  "G-guess you're finally rubbing off on m-me, Colonel.  So, let's get the hell outta D-Dodge, okay?"

          Jack nodded and started off again, Teal'c immediately falling into step alongside the soldier for several agonizing steps before O'Neill pulled up and stopped.

          "What do you see, O'Neill?"

          "Snakeheads," he slurred.  "I think."

          Teal'c peered through the snow in the direction that held Colonel O'Neill's attention. 

          "Gotta find cover," Jack said.

          Relief flooded through Sam like a hot shower.  "No.  That's n-not Jaffa, Colonel.  That's a structure of some sort!"

          "It looks like s-some k-kind of a temple," Daniel added.  "Come on."

          Jack grabbed the man's arm and went rigid, his weight acting like an anchor and stopping Daniel's forward march.  "Wait."

          "There," Teal'c said softly, gesturing with his staff weapon.

          Three of the Jaffa and Apophis himself exited the building, heading immediately into a stand of trees.  A moment later a small ship lifted into the air, slipping into the dark clouds.

          The members for SG-1 dropped into the snow as soon as they saw the craft, waiting there until it disappeared.

          _My God_ , Daniel thought, I could've gotten us all killed.  _I would've just walked right up, and–_

          "They are through with whatever they have come to this planet to do," Teal'c said, standing.  "We have only to deal with the weather now."  He reached down and proffered his hand to O'Neill, who took it and let the stronger man pull him to his feet.

          They all stumbled forward together, desperate to reach the shelter.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Ka'vena, come quickly!"

          A beautiful young woman looked up from where she knelt, praying at an elaborate altar.  "What is it, Ai're?" she asked.  Her lord had just paid her a visit, and she was thanking the gods for the time he had spent with her, and for the visions she had been given to warn him of approaching danger.  His future looked dark, but he would survive.

          "I think someone is out there, Lady."

          "What?"  Her green eyes flew open wide, and she quickly scrambled over to join the older woman at the small window.  Could it be her lord, returning to her for some reason?  "Where?"

          "That way, near the trees," the older woman nodded.  "There!"

          "I see them," the priestess said, her voice catching.  "It is not my lord and master.  What are strangers doing here?  Who could they be?  None here would dare defile this temple."

          "I do not know, Lady.  But they will surely die if they do not have shelter from the storm.  Ai!  Look!  The First Prime, Lady!  Our lord must have sent them."

          The priestess stared at the gold emblem on Teal'c forehead.  Yes, the First Prime.  They must come from her lord.  And he would know what he was asking of her and her maid.  Perhaps she did not please him.  Perhaps he had thought her visions incorrectly interpreted.  But it did not matter; she knew what must be done.

          Ka'vena returned to the altar and reached for a small vial that sat there, waiting for her hand.  "Yes, my lord must have sent them to us.  We will welcome them as is his wish."

          Ai're nodded, her heart pounding frantically in her breast as she watched as her mistress take a sip from the bottle, then hold it out to her.  She stepped forward and drank a sip as well, then quickly headed across the room, disappearing behind a carved door.  She waited a moment, then proceeded down the hallway and pulled the door open a foot, calling, "Here, Jaffa!  Over here!"

          One of the approaching strangers waved at her, but it was not the First Prime.  "Here!  You are welcome here, First Prime of Apophis!"  Ai're couldn't tell anything about the strangers who were with the First Prime until they reached the foot of the temple stairs.  It was two men and a woman, but they were not Jaffa.  Nor were they from the local tribes.  One of the men wore soaked clothing and clearly suffered from exposure; the other man and the woman wore similar heavy clothes, but they were apparently in better condition.

          "First Prime, you and your companions are welcome to the temple of Delphinia," Ai're greeted Teal'c with a bow.

          "I am honored by your kindness, Lady," Teal'c replied, dipping his head.  "We seek only shelter from the storm, and aid for the injured."

          "Then you shall be given both – gladly."  Ai're pulled the door open.  "Please, come in."

          Once the team was inside, she closed the door, then led them back to the main room, staggering slightly.  In the candle-lit room they stopped, staring at Ka'vena, who lay next to her alter, already dead.

          A gasp escaping Sam's lips.  "What's–?"

          Her question died when Ai're crossed to her Lady, then fell to her knees.  She looked up at them.  "Tell our master that my Lady was faithful to the end, Jaffa…  May the light of our lord Apophis… shine upon you… all," she whispered before she pitched forward, falling over her mistress as death took her as well.

          "Damn," Jack muttered, the truth of what he was seeing not reaching his cold-numbed mind.  "Was it something we said?"

          "Teal'c," Daniel snapped, "what's happening here?"

          The Jaffa met the man's confused, questioning gaze, then stepped forward, lifting the older woman off the priestess and laying her gently next to her mistress.  Reaching out, he lifted the medallion the priestess wore, checking the symbols he found there.  He sighed softly and dipped his head in a sign of respect.

          "They are priestesses, Daniel Jackson, sworn to Apophis.  Seers.  They read the future for him, and are not permitted to be visited by any save their lord.  Thinking me First Prime of Apophis, they granted us sanctuary, as would be their duty.  They believed it was the will of their master, but at the cost of their own lives."

          "Great, just great," Jack muttered.

          "Did you know this was going to happen?" Daniel demanded, angry and appalled at the same time.

          "I did not, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c stated.  "It is only the seers who cannot be visited by any save Apophis himself.  Many temples such as this offer aid and comfort to travelers."

          "He's protecting his assets," Jack said, then slumped against Teal'c.

          "Jack–?" Daniel started, but Sam cut him off.

          "We need to get the Colonel out of those wet clothes and warmed up right now."

          "I will help you, Captain Carter," Teal'c said.

          Daniel glanced around the temple.  It was made of stone, but the walls were covered with thick tapestries to cut the cold.  More of the weavings lay like a carpeting the floor.  In the main room they stood in there was comfortable furniture, a large fire place, and the elaborate, multi-tiered altar with the two women.  He looked away.  _Such a waste_ , he thought.

          "I'll, uh, take a look around," the archeologist offered.

          "See if you can find clothing, or towels," Sam instructed.

          Moving off, Daniel found a what looked like a library, a room for cooking and the storage of food, a large sleeping chamber, complete with its own fireplace and with an attached bathing room with a good-sized natural springs that bubbled up in a pool that reminded him of the Roman works in the English city of Bath.  He checked the water – it was hot.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          In the altar room, Sam pulled a plastic strip thermometer from the medical kit now sitting open on the floor.  She peeled the paper wrapping off and inserted it into Jack's mouth before she started to unzip his parka.  That roused the soldier from his stupor.

          "Wha–?  Who?" he sputtered around the thin obstacle, his hands coming up sluggishly to fend her off.  _Goa'uld?_   He clamped down on his fear.  _No, it's just Carter.  Just Carter and Teal'c_.

          "Easy, Colonel," Sam soothed.  "We need to get you out of these wet clothes."

          Jack nodded.  "C-Cold…"

          "Don't talk, I need to get your temperature," Sam said, reaching out to unzip the parka and draw it off his arms.  Field jacket, combat harness and BDU shirt followed.

          Teal'c worked on unlacing O'Neill's combat boots, but the wet nylon laces refused to cooperate.  The big Jaffa cut through them with O'Neill's combat knife, but did not remove the shoes.

          When she was done with the shirts, Sam blushed slightly but reached out and unhooked Jack's belt and unfastened his fatigue pants.  "Can you stand, sir?"

          Jack started to answer, but stopped, looking confused and disorientated.  What had she asked him?

          "Sir?" she repeated.

          "Huh?"

          "Can you stand up?"

          "Oh… yeah… sure."  Jack tried to push to his feet, but his legs refused to cooperate, feeling like two pieces of soft rubber he had no control over.  Teal'c grabbed him under the arms and helped him up so she could ease his pants over his hips.

          "Okay, he can sit back down," she directed, and Teal'c lowered Jack back down onto a step that led up to a separate section of the altar, the elaborate structure taking up an entire wall.

          Jack sank back against the next step with a grateful sigh, watching as Carter pulled off his shoes, socks, and pants, leaving him in only a wet T-shirt and briefs, both of which clung to his mottled skin.  The whole exercise played out like something on a television screen, removed from him, and unreal.

          Sam removed the thermometer and laid it on the stone step when Jack began to lean dangerously.  She braced him with her shoulder.

          "C-Cold…" he mumbled again, his eyes slipping closed.

          "Colonel O'Neill," Teal'c said, giving the man's shoulder a light shake.

          Jack's eyes popped open and he sucked in a gasp as a shot of tingling fire rocketed through his arm.

          "Teal'c, don't," Sam said softly, pushing the Jaffa's hands away.  "Easy.  You're not supposed to handle a hypothermia victim roughly," she explained.  "It can trigger a heart attack."

          "I am sorry, Captain Carter, I meant no harm.  But I do not believe it would be wise for Colonel O'Neill to sleep at this time."

          "I know, and you're right."

          "Hy… po… 'ther-ma," Jack slurred.  "Maybe… frostbite… got me, too."

          "The frost has bitten you?" Teal'c asked, looking somewhat startled and definitely confused.

          "Frostbite is a medical condition, Teal'c," Sam corrected.  "Tissue damage caused by prolonged exposure to cold weather."

          "Colonel O'Neill's skin does feel very cold," Teal'c acknowledged, pulling the man's weight off her shoulder and holding him upright.  "What do we do next, Captain Carter?"

          She reached out and took the Jack's pulse.  "His heartbeat's slow, and irregular…  I think.  My fingers are still a little too numb to be sure."  She picked the thermometer up and checked it, her eyes widening.  "It's all the way at the bottom," she said.  "Ninety-four degrees."

          "What if O'Neill's internal temperature is lower than the device will register?" Teal'c asked, his concern clear.

          Sam met the Jaffa's gaze and shrugged.  "I'm not sure.  I've had some medical and survival training, but I'm not a physician."

          "I'll be fine," Jack slurred.  "Just fine…  Got tickets to an Av's game in a couple of weeks… gotta be fine."

          "That's right, Colonel," Sam soothed.  "You're going to be fine.  Just let us do what we have to in order to help you, okay?"

          "Yep," Jack agreed, starting to sound almost drunk.  Then, relieved that someone else had taken control of the situation, he closed his mouth and nodded.

          Daniel hurried into the altar room, waving his arms excitedly as he said, "Hey, Sam, there's a hot springs in a bathing chamber, or something – very warm.  This way."

          Sam grinned.  Maybe they luck was returning.  "A nice hot soak might be just what he needs."

          Teal'c hesitated, a chill shaking him powerfully enough to send water drops falling to the floor.

          "Don't worry, Teal'c," Sam said, noting the reaction.  "He'll be fine."

          "Of that I have no doubt, Captain Carter.  But I must check this spring before you place Colonel O'Neill in it.  Temples such as this are often used to nurture Goa'uld larvae until they come of age for implantation in a Jaffa host."

          "Larvae?" Daniel asked, swallowing hard.  He hadn't seen any larvae, but then he had really looked for them either.

          "Ain't swimmin' with the baby snakes… might get snake bit on my frostbite," Jack muttered softly, then tried to laugh at his own joke.

          "Hurry, Teal'c," Sam instructed, moving closer to support the man when he stood.  She nodded at the medical kit.  "Take a thermometer and check the water temperature.  It might be too hot."

          The Jaffa stood, Daniel taking his place at Jack's side, helping Sam to support the man.

          Teal'c made swift but thorough search of the bathing chamber, then returned to the altar room where the other two waited with O'Neill, who was now draped over Daniel's shoulder.  "The spring is free of larvae," he announced.  "The water temperature is 101 degrees."

          "Okay, that's good," Sam said.

          "Come on, Jack, time to take a dip," Daniel, trying to get the man to sit up.  Jack wasn't in the least bit interested in cooperating.

          "We need to get the rest of those wet clothes off," Sam added.

          Jack lifted his head and blinked owlishly.  "Carter… you think 'bout making me… skinny dip… and I swear–"

          "Okay, sir," she said with a smile, "you can wear what you have on into the water, but we need to go – now."

          Daniel looked at Sam.  "This going to work?"

          "I was taught to warm a hypothermia victim in water that's over a hundred degrees.  The spring sounds perfect.  It's the best we have to work with at this point."

          Teal'c stepped up and carefully grabbed Jack under the arms, lifting him to his feet.

          Daniel stood.  "Jack?"

          O'Neill looked at the blond, his mind working furiously to identify the face.  He knew he should recognize that face, but he couldn't quite place it

          "Jack?"

          "Daniel?" he said, the uncertainty clear in his voice.

          "We're going to get you warmed up, okay?"

          "We're _all_ going to get warmed up," Sam corrected.

          "There is ample room for all of you to warm yourselves," Teal'c said.

          "You, too," Sam admonished, but she looked grateful to have the support for her idea.

          "Yes," Daniel agreed.  "Besides, we'll need you in there with Jack or he might sink."

          Carter moved to stand in front of O'Neill, noting that his skin was not only cold, but stiff as well.  "Sir, can you walk?"

          "Think so… just gotta find my feet… give me a sec…"

          Teal'c allowed Jack to take more of his own weight and he moaned softly.

          "What hurts, sir?" Carter asked.

          "Legs.  Prickles.  Hot," he slurred, then tried to stagger forward, but his legs refused to support his weight.  "Feel numb," he said when Teal'c lifted him into his arms like he was no more than a child.  He rested his head against the Jaffa's shoulder.

          "Just take it easy, Jack," Daniel soothed.

          When they reached the chamber, Teal'c sat Jack down on a stone bench, then quickly stripped and climbed into the water.  Daniel and Sam quickly undressed as well, modesty forcing both to keep their underwear on. Together they helped Jack to the edge of the pool, coaxing him down the first stone step that led into the spring.

          Contact with the overly warm water was obviously painful, and he was reluctant to proceed.  O'Neill leaned back and tried to pull free from their grips.

          "Come on, Jack, I know it's not comfortable, but you can take it," Daniel cajoled, then sucked in a curse at the burning, pricking sensation that attacked his own skin as well.  "It'll, uh, it'll feel a lot better in a little while…  I hope."

          Jack gasped as he managed another step, sinking lower into the water. Tears welled up in his eyes, but they didn't fall.  "Shit," he hissed, some of the stupor fading under assault from the increasing pain.  "Damn… who's idea was this?"

          "Mine, sir," Carter said.

          Daniel moaned softly, rubbing at his skin.

          Teal'c waded over next to the archeologist.  "The pain will fade, Daniel Jackson," he said.

          "Glad to hear it."

          "Misery loves company," Jack quipped.

          "We need to get his T-shirt off, too," Sam instructed as she sank into the water, letting Teal'c take her place.

          The Jaffa reached out and carefully lifted Jack off the step, then walked him into the water, letting it climb slowly up over his cold skin.  The soldier moaned softly and gritted his teeth, but he didn't struggle in the man's grip.

          Once he was seated on a stone ledge that ran around the edge of the pool, the water just below his chin, Teal'c pulled the man's T-shirt free. When Jack sank back against the side of the pool, Daniel and Sam both noticed the new discoloration and swelling on the soldier's face.

          "Daniel, Teal'c, help me circulate the water," Sam said, using her hands and arms to set the water into swirling motion.

          After a few moments, O'Neill shivered violently and groaned.

          The archeologist swallowed hard.  He'd never heard a sound like that from Jack.  _This was a lot closer than I thought_ , he silently acknowledged. How many times had they skirted death?  Too many.  But how many times could they keep doing it before it was one too many?

          Jack groaned again, then whimpered softly, his eyes grinding shut as he managed to get a handle on the pain.  Teal'c moved closer, slipping one arm around the man's shoulders to help support him and keep him above the surface, stirring the water with his other hand.

          Sam watched the soldier for a little while, then said softly, "Okay, we have to keep him warm, keep the water circulating for twenty to thirty minutes, or until the color and sensation returns to his skin."

          Jack sucked in a hissing breath.  "S-Sensation?  It already h-h-hurts like h-h-hell, C-Carter," he managed through chattering teeth.  "What more do you want?"

          "I know, sir.  I'm sorry," she said.

          "Don't apologize," Jack said, then sucked in several deep breaths, getting control over the pain again.  Once he did, he allowed himself to relax slightly as the hot water did its work, unknotting his muscles and starting to force some warmth back into his bones.  It still hurt like hell, but he'd faced worse.  "Damn, w-what I'd g-give… for a c-cup of c-coffee," he said, trying to get his mind off the red-hot needle pricks that suddenly seemed to be attacking his skin with a vengeance.  He moaned and another wave of shivering made speech impossible.

          Teal'c moved closer when he noticed the development of several reddish blotches on Jack's neck and face.  "It will not be much longer, O'Neill."

          "Those are normal, I think," Sam said, noticing the Jaffa's concern.  "I read that the skin can look mottled or discolored as it warms up."

          Jack moaned again.  "Burns, damn it," he panted.  "Anyway to speed this up?"

          "Easy, sir, that will start to fade pretty quickly," Sam assured.  "Just try to relax.  Let the water and the warmth do the work."

          "C-Cold… b-burns… 's weird…"  His eyes slid closed.  It was easier to avoid the worried expressions on Carter and Daniel's faces from behind the veil of darkness.

          He didn't like it when people worried about him like that.  At least Teal'c was simply a sturdy presence, a constant reassurance that he wasn't alone, but not someone he had to acknowledge in the process.  And he didn't have to assure him in any way.  He could just draw strength from the man's presence and trust that he would be taken care of.  Made life much easier.

          "Sir, I think you should, uh, take off your briefs," Carter said a few moment later.  "There might be, uh–"

          "That's enough, Carter," Jack replied, his eyes cracking open.  But he did as she suggested.  No use taking any chances when he didn’t have to.

          "O'Neill," Teal'c deep voice rumbled in his ear.  "If you will permit me, I will support you.  Do not fight me," he said, moving closer and then easing Jack back further into the water, his weight on the Jaffa's arm so the back of his head was also submerged.

          Then, taking the already soaked T-shirt, Teal'c draped it over the colonel's head, warming him more quickly.  Some of the water trickled down Jack's face.

          "Hey!" he sputtered, trying to rise, then, realizing that he was naked, he dropped back into the water.

          "Stay still," Daniel said.

          "You tryin' t' drown me?" Jack asked, glowering up at Teal'c.

          "I am not."

          Daniel grinned at the Jaffa's serious reply.  One of these days he'd figure out when someone was teasing him.  "Guess this would be the perfect opportunity, though, wouldn't it?"

          Jack grunted, then ground his teeth together as another bout of shivering shook his body.

          A few minutes later Sam said, "Okay, I'm going to go pre-warm the bed.  When his skin's pliable, and the color and sensation are back, help him out, dry him off and let's get him under the covers in the sleeping chamber A-S-A-P."

          "Okay," Daniel said, "but can you bring us something to dry off with?  I didn't see anything.  And maybe something to wear?"

          "I'll see what I can find," she promised.

          "Pre-warm the bed?" Jack echoed after she was gone.

          "I believe Captain Carter is hoping to–"

          "I don't wanna know," Jack interrupted.

 

* ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Forty-five minutes after he first entered the pool, Teal'c and Daniel were helping Jack climb out of the hot water.  They hurriedly dried him, and themselves, off using some linens that Sam had dropped off, then coaxed him into a thick robe made from something that felt like flannel before donning similar clothes themselves.

          Throughout the procedure Jack was silent, making no objections to the administrations, and no wisecracks about their outfits, both of which worried Daniel, but for the moment it made the situation easier to deal with, so he let it slide.

          Chills shook Jack's body as he staggered through the bathing chamber and into the adjoining sleeping chamber.  Teal'c and Daniel guided him straight to a huge bed that took up a good third of the space.  It was so large Daniel was sure it could comfortably sleep six adults.  Carter climbed out from under the covers.

          Jack half-collapsed on the far right side, closest to the fire where Carter had been lying, then rolled into the waiting warmth when Teal'c pulled the covers up for him.  However, before he could get really comfortable they forced him to sit up.  Sam reached up under the covers and worked two pairs of handmade stockings onto his feet.

          Teal'c stepped away, but returned quickly with a colorful quilt that he wrapped around the man's shoulders to help keep him warm.  Jack nodded his gratitude.

          Once she finished with the socks, Sam headed back to the altar room, returning with a military issue knitted cap.  She pulled it over Jack's head and ears, then stepped back to survey their work.  Stepping forward, she rearranged the quilt, covering O'Neill's head with that as well.

          He grunted in annoyance, having reached the end of his patience.

          Satisfied, she looked pointedly at Daniel and Teal'c.  "I made some tea with sugar – at least I think it's sugar.  I want you two to sit over there by the fireplace. There are a couple of blankets you can wrap up with.  And put some of these stockings on."  She handed them each a pair.

          "Captain Carter, I believe it would be wise if you did so as well.  I am quite fine," Teal'c said, handing Daniel his pair of stockings as the scientist sank down on the warm stone hearth next to the tray with the sweetened tea.  He pulled both pairs on.

          Sam thought a moment, then nodded.  She sat down on the other side of the tray, pulled on her own stockings, then poured a cup for herself, dumping several spoonfuls of the sugar in and stirring.  That done, she made a second cup and handed it to the Jaffa, saying, "For the Colonel."

          Teal'c carried the cup over to Jack and handed it to him.  O'Neill looked like a very unhappy Eskimo, but the Jaffa had no way of knowing that.

          "Th-Thanks," he said, cupping his hands, the only exposed skin besides his face, around the cup.  He sipped, then made a face.  "Too sweet."

          "Drink," Sam ordered, then added a belated, "Sir.  The sugar will help."

          A thin, lopsided smile cracked O'Neill's otherwise dour expression. "Spend any time with the Marines, Carter?"

          "Maybe," she grinned back, glad that he was starting to sound a little more like normal.

          Seeing that everyone was settled and drinking their tea, Teal'c headed to the cooking area, returning after a few minutes with three animal skins that he'd filled with hot water.

          "These will provide O'Neill with additional warmth," he said, handing the makeshift hot water bottles to Carter.

          "Great idea, Teal'c," she said before launching into action.  It only took a moment to arrange the pillows so Jack was cradled in a seated position by them.  Then she slid one of the bottles behind his neck, a second under the blankets covering his chest, then paused, still holding the third.

          "Huh, one more, Colonel," she said, her gaze focused on the colorful quilt instead of his face.  "But I think you'd better do it yourself."  She took his tea and held the skin out to him.

          "Where?" he asked.

          "The groin."

          The warm blush that colored O'Neill's cheeks was visible even to Daniel, and the scientist chuckled.  "Looks like his circulation's almost back to normal."

          Jack shot the man a deadly glare, but he accepted the "hot water bottle" and shoved it under the covers, positioning it where she'd directed.  He remembered enough of his cold weather survival and first aid to know _why_ it was supposed to go there, but knowing did little to relieve his embarrassment.  When he was done she handed back his tea.

          "Thanks," he mumbled.  _All in all, freezing to death might have been easier_ , he decided.

          "You're welcome, sir.  And, uh, since you're awake, I need to, uh, well, check your state of mind," she said.

          "Careful, Sam," Daniel muttered softly.  "He might not pass the test."

          "Keep it up, Daniel…" Jack growled.

          "Hey, just checking," the archeologist defended himself.  It sounded to him like Jack was fine.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "I hate waiting," Dr. Fraiser said softly as she paced the length of the briefing room – now Command and Control for the rescue mission – twice before sinking into one of the chairs.  Across the table from her, Hammond nodded sympathetically.  "When is the snow going to stop?"

          "You've got me, Doctor," the general said.  "The weather experts here are completely confused by the planet's weather patterns."

          "Wonderful," she sighed.

          Hammond studied her for a moment, trying to think of something to get her mind off the long wait.  "How's Cassandra holding up?" he asked.

          Fraiser looked up.  "About what you'd expect – scared, upset, mad, worried."

          "I know the feeling," was the sardonic reply.

          A heavy sigh was hers.  "At least the rescue squad made it to their last known location before this latest storm wave hit, but they can't go out and look for them until it stops, right?  And at this rate that could be _days_."

          "They'll be fine."

          Her head came up sharply.  "What if they're stuck out in the woods with that weather?  How could they possibly survive?"

          "There's bound to be some kind of shelter they could find – a mine shaft, cave, building.  Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter are well trained, Doctor.  They know how to survive in cold weather.  They'll take care of Dr. Jackson, and I'm sure Teal'c can take care of himself."

          "I know, sir, but there are so many things that could go wrong.  And if the Goa'uld are out there looking for them…"

          "We just have to have faith, Doctor."

          "I'm trying, sir."

          Sergeant Linda MacKenzie stalked into the briefing room, heading straight to the maps scattered over one end of the large table and checking something before looking up to meet the general's concerned gaze.

          "Anything?" Hammond asked.

          "Nothing, sir," MacKenzie said.  "The weather service says that according to their computer models, that storm's going to last at least another eight to ten hours, but that's just their best guess."

          "I see," Hammond sighed.  "It appears Mother Nature isn't treating us too kindly on PX1-971."

          "What do I tell Major Paul, sir?"

          "Tell him to wait, Sergeant.  He'll just have to wait."

          "Sir, Sergeant Abrams would like to know if he should deactivate SG-1's recognition codes," the sergeant said, her voice soft.

          Hammond sighed heavily, then nodded.  "But I want to know if we receive any signal, old code or no."

          "Yes, sir," MacKenzie replied, then turned and left.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Jack wasn't exactly sure when he'd fallen asleep, but he was definitely awake now.  Sore, stiff, and very tired physically, but awake.  And buried under a heavy pile of blankets.  He pushed just enough off so he could reconnoiter the room.

          _Nice place_ , he concluded.  Stone walls were hung with thick tapestries, tasteful wood furniture was scattered around the space, along with a bookshelf and a large stone fireplace where a fire danced merrily.  Definitely not an Earth home, but nice none the less, in an ancient history kind of way.

          A light snore captured O'Neill's attention.  He rose up a little farther and glanced over his shoulder.

          Daniel was sleeping soundly, buried under a similar mound of blankets on the far third of the huge bed.  Carter was lying next to him, also asleep, closest to the far edge.

          The door to the sleeping chamber creaked open and Teal'c entered, wearing his BDUs.  Jack watched the man cross to bank the fire before he added more wood.

          "Good morning," Jack said softly when the Jaffa was through.

          Teal'c turned, a rare smile lighting his face.  "It is good to see you awake again, O'Neill.  How do you feel?"

          "Pretty good.  A little stiff and sore, but at least I'm warm.  A definite improvement, let me tell ya.  Thanks."

          "There is no need to thank me, O'Neill."

          "How long have I been sleeping?"

          "You have rested for approximately thirty-two hours."

          "Thirty–two?"  He shook his head.  No wonder his bladder was threatening to explode.  "Is there…?"  He waved his hand.

          Teal'c eyebrows rose, but then he seemed to understand what he was being asked.  "Yes.  I will carry you."

          "You will lead the way," Jack corrected dryly.  "I will walk, thank you very much."

          The urgent business taken care of, Jack and Teal'c walked slowly back to the sleeping chamber.

          "How're Carter and Daniel?" the colonel asked.

          "Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson are both recovering swiftly.  They sat with you for many hours before sleep overcame them."

          "I take it you're the one who put them to bed with me."

          "I did," Teal'c replied.  "The bed appeared to be large enough to allow all of you to sleep undisturbed."

          "How about you?"

          Teal'c dipped his head in appreciation of the man's concern.  "I am fine, O'Neill."

          Reaching the sleeping chamber, Teal'c helped Jack back into bed, the movement waking the other two sleepers.

          Sam yawned inside her burrow, then stretched and pushed herself up. "What's up?"

          "Nothing, Captain," Jack said, enjoying the warmth that wrapped around him again.  "Just a nature call."

          "Jack?" Daniel mumbled, pushing up and blinking.  "What's going on?"

          "It's morning," Jack explained, not really sure what time of day it might be.  "You know, time to wake up, get out of bed, fix food, figure out what we're going to do next."

          Sam climbed out of the bed, yawned, then stretched again.  "Anyone else hungry?"

          "Yeah, I am," Daniel said, sitting up and scrubbing his face with his hands.

          "Sir?"

          "I think I could eat," Jack replied.

          "I'll see what I can find," she said, then grabbed her clothes, which had been spread out near the fireplace to dry the night before.  She left the chamber, opting to dress in the altar room where she could have some privacy.  "Sir," she said to Jack from the doorway, "you should try to get some more rest."

          "Yeah, yeah," Jack said, dismissing the comment as he waved his hand to shoo her out.

          Daniel yawned, then climbed out of bed as well.  He walked over to stand next to the fire while he exchanged the robe he was wearing for his own heat-dried uniform.

          "Anyone check the comm units?" Jack asked.

          "Last night," Daniel replied.  "Sam checked them all.  The storm must still be causing interference.  Or we might be out of range here.  She couldn't reach anyone, or the MALP."

          "The weather is still too dangerous to travel in," Teal'c added.  "Perhaps there is no one to reach.  SG-3 and SG-6 would have been wise to return to the SGC."

          "Let's hope that's what they did," Jack muttered.  "Hammond's sure to send a rescue team as soon as he can, but in this….  We'll have to find a way to contact them."

          "Smoke signals would be about the only thing right now," Daniel told him, "and nothing's dry enough for that either.  I'm afraid we're just stuck here for a while."

          "Smoke signals?" Teal'c asked.

          Daniel smiled thinly.  "I'll explain later."

          "If it comes to that, we'll try it," Jack said.

          "What are you thinking, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, noting the concerned expression on the man's face.

          "That we need to find that rescue unit or we might end up being stuck here until whatever passes for spring thaw around here."

          Daniel's blue eyes widened with sudden understanding.  They'd been out of contact for over twenty-four hours, closer to forty-eight, actually.  The SGC would have to assume that they had been taken captive by Apophis.  Their recognition codes would have been changed.  They were stranded unless they could make contact with the rescue team.  He sighed heavily.

          "What's the forecast?" Jack asked, a cough breaking free deep in his chest.  He grimaced, settling back against his pillows.

          "The snow will likely continue for several more hours," Teal'c said as Carter re-entered the room wearing her BDU's and carrying Jack's.

          "I thought I heard voices.  Sir, I really think you should try and get some more sleep."

          "I've had more than enough sleep, Captain."

          She set the clothes down on the hearth.  "I figured as much," she muttered under her breath.  "Well, sir, if you're going to get up, I thought you might want to change back into these."  Then she looked up at the Jaffa. "Teal'c, I was hoping you could show me what we might be able to use as food.  I don't recognize anything I saw in the, uh, kitchen area."

          "I will do my best, Captain Carter," he replied and they left together.  A few minutes later Sam called them out to the altar room.

          Jack disentangled himself from the blankets and crossed to the hearth. He dressed as quickly as he could, glad to exchange the robe for his BDUs.  Then he and Daniel headed out to join Sam and Teal'c at a table that had been moved over next to the large blazing hearth that warmed the room.

          "Colonel, why don't you sit closest to the fire," Sam suggested.

          Jack nodded, still feeling a little cold.  Taking the indicated seat, he reached for a cup of steaming tea, wishing it was coffee.

          "So," he asked, "what's for breakfast?"

          Sam started to reply, but Teal'c beat her to it.

          "I believe you would call it gruel, O'Neill," Teal'c said.

          "Oh.  I can't wait.  That sounds just… yummy," Jack replied, making a face.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Any change?" Hammond asked, leaning over Lt. Leann Rockland's shoulder and staring at her computer terminal.  The sweeping patterns he found there made little sense to him.

          "No, sir," she said.  "The models are showing another low developing off the continental coast.  That's going keep the snow machine turned on high for the foreseeable future.  We think."

          Hammond sighed heavily.

          "But the rescue team was able to get a probe up for almost an hour.  They spotted a few possible shelters.  We're generating a map that I'll send to Major Paul as soon as it's ready."

          Hammond smiled tiredly.  "Well, that's something.  Has there been any radio contact?"

          "No, sir.  But most of the structures and mine entrances that we found would be out of range of the base camp."

          "Good work, Lieutenant."

          "Thank you, sir.  We all want to bring SG-1 home."

          I know, Lieutenant.  And we will."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Two days of watching it snow, and snow, and snow some more wasn't high on Jack's list of entertaining activities, especially when he knew what must be going on back at SGC, and with the rescue squad he knew would be on-planet.  But at least the company was interesting.  Well, at least it was until Daniel found those damned journals and started reading him pages and paragraphs every couple of minutes.  Hell, you'd think he'd found the next Nostradamus.  Although he had to admit that a couple of the priestesses' entries did sound suspiciously like she was describing the SGC.

          He leaned back in his chair, which had been pulled close to the fireplace, and watched the three members of his team.  Daniel was still poring over the woman's journals, and he just knew they were going to be carting them back to Earth with them.  Carter was working with their radios, trying to boost the range with little success.  And Teal'c had been meditating, but now he was gone.

          He sighed.  He wasn't sure how they'd managed it, but somehow Teal'c, Carter, and Daniel had all wormed their way past his well-intentioned barriers.  He had promised himself, over and over, that he wouldn't get close to _anyone_ after Charlie had died, but here he was, a man with friends again.

          Good friends.

          Friends he cared about – too much, probably.  Friends he'd be willing to die for, and who, he knew, would do the same for him.

          How the hell had that happened?

          He coughed, the noise causing Daniel to look up.

          The archeologist watched Jack lean forward, his shoulders hunched.  "Feel okay?" he asked.

          Jack leaned back, giving Daniel a clear view of his face.  O'Neill knew he looked it was drawn and slightly gray, dark circles starting to form under his eyes.  He shrugged.  "Yeah, sure.  Anything else interesting in those?" he asked, hoping he could turn the tide of the conversation before it started.

          Pushing out of his chair, Daniel walked over and sat down near the soldier.  "Jack?  What's wrong?"

          _Well, so much for that_ , he thought, then sighed.  "I think it's pneumonia."

          "What?" he asked, surprised by the way his voice squeaked.

          Sam stood and joined them.  "Something wrong?"

          Jack looked up at the woman.  He didn't want to worry them, but he knew he didn't feel well, and if he was right they needed to know.  "I'm not sure, but–"

          "He thinks he's getting pneumonia," Daniel finished.

          "Pneumonia?" she said, reaching out to press her palm against his cheek.  "You are warm, sir, but that could be from the fire."

          Jack coughed, his face pinching.

          "But _that_ doesn't sound good.  There should be some antibiotics in the medical kits.  I'll go take a look," she said, heading for the sleeping chamber where she had stored their gear, leaving Jack and Daniel alone.

          "Jack, we've got to get you out of here and to a doctor before–"

          "Daniel, we're not going anywhere until this storm's over, and then it might still be impossible."  Jack meet the panicked blue eyes.  "Look, it might just be a cold, okay?  But we're staying right here.  We don't know for sure if the snakeheads are still out there or not."  Daniel looked ready to argue him into submission, and that was the last thing he wanted right now. "And if I know Hammond, he's sent a rescue team, but they're going to be confined to a base camp until the storms ease.  Then they'll put probes up to get pictures of this whole area, and when they do, they'll find this place.  When they can get out to start a search, they'll sweep this place, and we're going to be here when they do so we can bum a ride home with them.  That's our best bet, so we're going to take it."

          "Jack, if this is pneumonia, we're not going to be able to wait that long.  It could take days, weeks for the storms to end.  We have do idea how long they might last."

          "We don't have another option," Jack argued.  "There's no way we can hike to the Stargate in this.  And even if we did, we don't have useable codes any more."

          Sam returned, carrying a brown bottle.  "There's some Erythromycin.  It's a little old, but it's not expired."

          Jack nodded, reaching out to take the bottle.  "It'll do," he said.  "Where's Teal'c?"

          Sam glanced down at the floor, then said, "He's, uh, taking care of the two priestesses."

          "Ah," Jack nodded.  "Can somebody grab me some water?"

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Lt. Rockland strode purposefully into the briefing room.  "Sir, we just heard from Major Paul," she announced to General Hammond, who was sitting with Dr. Fraiser.  "We've got our window."

          Hammond and Fraiser were following her even as she turned to leave. "How long?" the general asked.

          "Six hours, maybe, if we're lucky.  Major Paul's people have already launched the probes again," the lieutenant said as they headed into the observation room where Sergeant MacKenzie was speaking to Major Paul.

          "The General is here, sir," MacKenzie said.

          "Sir," Major Paul said.

          "What is it, Major?" Hammond asked.

          "Sir, we've been talking about this for days while we've waited for the snow to end.  I'd like to concentrate on the rim area to the west of our present location."

          Hammond was more than familiar with the maps they had of the area, having nothing better to do than memorize them over the past few days.  Are you sure that's wise, Major?" he asked.  "SG-1 was so close to the mines–"

          "Sir," the major interrupted, "we know they ran into Jaffa at the mines and had to flee.  But none of the Jaffa came through the Gate.  SG-3 and SG-6 both said that SG-1 had agreed to meet them at the Gate.  Sir, if they got into trouble somewhere between the mines and the Gate, the only reasonable place to look for shelter is along that western rim."

          "Very well, Major, you do what you feel is best."

          "Thank you, sir.  We should have some more data to transmit in a few hours."

          "Good luck, Major."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Daniel watched the snow falling, huge cotton-ball sized flakes splattering against the window, their delicate beauty crushed and smeared just before the heat from the temple melted what remained away.  The storm had let up for almost six hours, but now it appeared intent on making up the lost time.

          Another cough ripped through Jack's chest, and the archeologist winced.  He turned and tried to casually study the colonel as he puttered around the altar room, pausing at the numerous bookshelves, fingering various objects and leather-bound books.

          Jack looked sick, his face ashen and drawn while rattling, labored breaths beat out an over-fast cadence, punctuated from time to time by the rending coughs.  Daniel watched a chill shake the man – that was new – and he edged closer to the fire.  With a weak grip he took the fireplace poker and resettled the nearly consumed logs, then wrestled in another from the pile that Teal'c had carried in earlier.  When he was done another cough echoed through the room, and O'Neill reached up to rub his chest.

          "Jack?" Daniel asked softly as he walked over and sat down next to him.  Closer now, it was clear that the soldier was almost panting in an effort to draw in enough air.  "This isn't a cold, is it?"

          O'Neill shook his head.  "No.  Never really thought it was.  Just said that so you'd quit hovering over me."

          "Then it _is_ pneumonia?"

          "Yeah, I think so."

          Daniel felt a cold black fear he'd been fighting uncoil in his gut, sweeping up to strangle his heart.  Just when he thought they were almost home free…  "What can we do?"

          Jack shrugged slightly.  "Not much.  I'm taking the antibiotics.  That's about it."

          Daniel's jaws ground slightly and he fought the impulse to accuse the man of running away from the truth.  Of acting like a superman…  Wait.  Why was he so mad?  It wasn't like Jack had intended to catch pneumonia… the fall into the pond, or lake, or whatever it was, that was probably the cause – that and the prolonged exposure to the cold afterwards.  He was just scared.  Worried, and scared, and a little stir-crazy.  And he hated feeling so damned helpless.

          "There has to be something we can do," the archeologist insisted.

          Sam entered the room, catching the man's comment.  "What's wrong?"

          "He's getting worse," Daniel said.  "The antibiotics aren't helping enough."

          She nodded.  "I've been digging through all the first aid I know, and I think there's a few more things that we can do, sir."

          "You heard him coughing, too?" Daniel asked her.

          She nodded again.  "It's hard to miss."

          "Uh, kids, I'm sitting right here, okay?"

          "Sorry, sir," Sam replied.

          "What did you come up with?" Daniel asked, turning slightly on the stone hearth so he could look at her as she pulled a chair over and sat down.

          "Okay," she said, looking at Jack, then Daniel, "this is what I'm thinking." She met the colonel's gaze and held it, willing him to go along with her.  "First, you need to force down as many hot liquids as you can handle.  And Teal'c is prepping some moist heat packs to put on your chest.  That should help break up the congestion."

          "Not so fast, Captain," Jack said.  "I'm doing okay right now.  Let's see if the storm lets up, and if the antibiotics do the trick before we pull out all the stops."

          "The storm will not lessen for many hours," Teal'c said, walking into the room as O'Neill commented.

          Jack paused, contemplating the news.  It was slowly getting harder and harder to breathe.  The medication might slow the progress of the infection, but he knew he needed professional medical help to get the condition under control.  He glanced up, ready to deliver a few choice words to the Almighty, when he noticed the steep ceiling for the first time.

          _I'm slipping_ , he thought.  "This temple have an A-frame shape?" he asked.

          Sam nodded.  "Why, sir?"

          "The roof stay snow-free?" he asked, ignoring her question.

          "The roof has only a thin covering of snow in the mornings," Teal'c offered.  "It is clear now and will remain so until dark."

          "Is there any paint around here, something relatively bright?"

          "Sir, what're you getting at?" Sam asked.

          "Uh, I found some red paint that I think might have been used for rituals," Daniel said.  "It's pretty bright, but there's not that much of it."

          A smile curled the corners of Jack's mouth.  "That'll get their attention," he mumbled.  "Anybody got a pencil and a piece of paper?"

          Sam walked over to where her parka lay on a chair and dug into a pocket.  She carried back a pencil and a small notepad, handing them both to the colonel.

          He wrote something on the paper and then handed it to Teal'c.

          "I am to put this on the roof with the red paint?" he asked.

          Jack nodded.  "The side facing away from the mountains.  And make it as nice and big as you can."

          "I will do so now, O'Neill," the Jaffa replied.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Bull!" Major Paul snapped.

          The Master Sergeant snatched up the paper he was working on and trotted across the tent to join the major.  "Yeah, sir?"

          "You ready?"

          He handed the page over.  "These are the structures and possible caves the probes located along the western rim."

          "Good work."  Paul handed the map to Lt. Jarred.  "Phil, come up with a priority for the next pass.  The weather gurus tell us we're going to get another break in a few hours."

          "We'll be ready, sir," Lt. Jarred replied.

          "See that you are," Paul replied.  Then he turned back to MSgt. Richards.  "Bull, any luck finding us a way to travel in this snow?"

          The older sergeant grinned.  "Sir, I have, but it's gonna take a couple of hours to pull it off."

          Major Paul's eyes widened slightly.  "And what's it going to be?"

          "Dogs, sir."

          "Dogs?"  The major chuckled.  "Hammond's sending Huskies through the Stargate?"

          MSgt. Richards grinned.  "No, sir, but it does paint a picture, don't it?"

          The major shook his head.  "Oh, yeah, quite a picture.  So, what _are_ we getting?"

          "Couple of high-powered snowmobiles and a couple of drag sleds.  And cross-country skies for the rest of us."

          "It'll do."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Dr. Fraiser walked into the briefing room, which was, for the first time, buzzing with activity.  She watched for a few moments while staying out of the way.

          "General," Sgt. Abrams said, "the teams at the mine report that they found no Jaffa.  All three were empty.  They've completed their sweeps and they're setting their charges now."

          "Very good.  Any idea what Apophis was removing?" Hammond asked.

          Abrams shook his head.  "The teams all reported finding empty storage areas, but nothing to tell them what was being stored there.  The locals are saying that he took their ancestors.  Dr. Stewart thinks it might have been cremated remains."

          "What in the world would Apophis want with the remains of a people the Goa'uld haven't even visited in two generations?"

          "I have no idea, sir."

          "Very well," Hammond said.  "Carry on, Sergeant."

          "Yes, sir," the man replied, then headed off.

          Sgt. MacKenzie stepped up to take his place.  "Sir, the rescue team's beginning their sweep of the western rim.  They are planning to set up a second base camp there if they don't find anything before the next storm.  The weather people are saying that another wave will hit in six to eight hours."

          Hammond nodded.  "Tell them to shut the search down in four.  I don't want them caught off guard if that prediction's too optimistic."

          "Yes, sir."  The sergeant turned and left only to be replaced by Lt. Rockland.

          Janet slipped out of the room.  There was nothing she could do but wait, and she might as well stay out of the way while she did it.  At least it sounded like things were finally beginning to go their way.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Daniel, I need your help."

          The archeologist jumped, his attention severed from the dancing flames he'd been staring at.  "What?"

          Sam reached out and squeezed the scientist's shoulder.  "It's the Colonel.  He's getting worse."

          Daniel scrambled to his feet and followed her into the sleeping chamber.  He blinked, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim light, but he could hear the sound – labored, almost grunting breaths coming too close together.

          Jack was gray, his cheeks sunken, black smudges under his eyes deepening the hollows to depth-less pits.  He hunched into the quilt that was wrapped around his shoulders, shaking with a chill that left his teeth chattering.  His hand came up, rubbing weakly at his chest.

          "Jack?" Daniel whispered, moving closer to the bed, and finally dropping down to sit on the edge.

          The door opened and Teal'c entered with a tray.  "Here is the tea you requested, O'Neill."

          "Thanks," Jack replied.  He already felt like he was burning up and floating away, but he knew he had to do whatever it took to keep the phlegm from getting too thick.  He accepted the steaming cup from the Jaffa and sipped at it as quickly as he dared.

          Sam re-entered the chamber carrying a towel, gray and white wisps of steam curling off of it.  "Let's get this on your chest, sir," she said, walking to the side of the bed.

          With Daniel's help she was able to get the covers down and position the hot cloth on Jack's upper chest.  The colonel sucked in a hissing breath and groaned.  It was hot, even through the folds of linen that protected his skin.  Handing Jack back his tea, Daniel could tell that the soldier was in greater pain than he was letting on.  He watched the man snug his right arm in closer to his side, bracing his ribs as he coughed.  Then, panting, Jack leaned back and worked on the tea some more.

          The others all took seats scattered around the room.

          "Damn it, Daniel, cut it out," Jack half-growled several minutes later.

          "Huh?"

          "Quit staring at me like you're a damned vulture.  I'm not going to fall over dead any second."

          A thin, wry smile lifted Daniel's lips.  "You sure about that?"

          "Positive."

          "I'm going to hold you to that," the archeologist replied.

          "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

          Daniel crossed and took the empty cup from Jack's hand, then moved over to pour him some more from the pot that Teal'c had brought in on a tray.

          "No more right now," Jack said.  "Feels like I wanna hurl."

          Daniel returned the cup to the tray, then walked over to sit down on the hearth.  "Jack, we have to do something.  Maybe we can find help.  We have to get you to a hospital."

          "That is not possible, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said from his chair.  "The storm has returned."

          "Well, we can't just sit here and watch him die!" Daniel argued.

          "I'm _not_ going to die," Jack wheezed.  "I told you that."

          Daniel paced across the room.  "How can say that?  You don't know that," he snapped a moment later.  "You can't breathe, the antibiotics aren't working, you–"

          "I'm not _that_ sick," Jack argued softly.  "It just sounds worse than it is.  Hell, I've had worse colds back home."

          Daniel's blue eyes narrowed.  "Not that sick _yet_ , you mean."

          "The rescue squad will find us before it gets that bad," Sam said softly from her spot near the fire.

          "You don't know that," Daniel countered, turning to shoot her an angry glance.  Was it just some kind of in-bred military machismo?  Did they train it into them?  Were they just incapable of asking for help, or admitting that they were human like the rest of the population?

          "Yes, she does know that," Jack growled back.  "And she's right," he added, his tone brooking no argument.  "I know what they'll do, and so does Carter.  And I trust them.  They'll find us."

          Daniel stalked back to the fireplace, added more wood to the flames, then sank down to sit on the warm stones.  "I just hope you're both right.  We're betting Jack's life on it."

          "It'll be fine," Jack said.

          "I'm going to get another hot towel," Sam said, standing.

          Jack nodded.  They did seem to help, even if they weren't too comfortable.

          "Keep drinking that tea, sir," she added.

          "I'm floating now, Carter."

          "That's the idea, sir," she said with a sympathetic smile.  "We keep you floating, and that congestion can't get too thick."

          Jack nodded.  "Yeah, I know, I know."  He just hoped he could keep it down.  His stomach was starting to do gymnastics.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Staff Sergeant Akin stomped several times before he stepped through the tent flap, scattering snow across the frozen ground under the tarp.  Martin, Green and Gregg followed him.

          Major Paul and Lt. Jarred were already inside, along with Sergeants Richards and Samson.

          "Akin, anything?" Jarred asked.

          "Not a damned thing," the big black man replied, shaking his head in disgust.  "We managed to squeeze in a couple of probe passes before all hell broke loose, but we lost one of them to the storm.  The data's already been sent to SGC and it's being worked on as we speak.  As soon as this breaks we can send the last probe back up to cover the last grid, then we can start working it toward the Stargate."

          Major Paul sighed heavily.  The longer it took the less likely it was that they'd find SG-1 alive.  They all knew it, but his men weren't going to give up, and neither was he.

          "Get some coffee and get warm, guys," the major said to his men, "and get something to eat."  He turned, his attention focusing on Master Sergeant Richards.  "Bull, what's the latest weather update?"

          "Looks like we'll have another window in six hours or so," he replied.

          Major Paul nodded.  "Make sure everything's ready to go."

          "Will do, sir."

          As the team settled in to eat and enjoy the hot coffee, Major Paul and Lt. Jarred moved to a small table in a corner, next to a small propane-powered space heater.

          "Try not to worry, sir," Jared said.  "We're going to find them."

          "In time, Phil?" the major asked.  "If they didn't find shelter…"

          "I know.  But it looks like there's plenty of places they could've used.  We just have to find the one they did."

          Major Paul nodded.  "It feels like we're looking for a needle in an avalanche."

          Lt. Jarred snorted softly.  "I know.  But we've done it before.  We have the technology, we have the training…"

          The major smiled.  "Yeah, yeah, I know.  I just wish the damned snow would stop."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Is that towel ready?" Sam called.

          "Almost," Daniel answered from the altar room where they had set up a large pot of water to heat near the fire in there.  Several linens were soaking.

          Sitting on the bed, Carter watched as another body-shaking cough left Jack exhausted.  Curled up on his side in the large bed, the soldier hugged his arms in close to his ribs, helping to splint his chest each time he coughed.  Even in the limited light offered by the snapping fireplace, she could see the bluish cast that was beginning to circle the man's lips.

          "Colonel, can you sit up?" Sam asked, resting a hand gently on his shoulder.

          He nodded and tried to do just that, but his body refused.  He rolled over onto his back, too busy working on breathing to try again.

          She nodded to Teal'c, who stood nearby, ready to help however he could.  Together they got the colonel sitting up in the bed.

          She looked up at the Jaffa, saying, "Teal'c, can you sit behind him and pound on his back?"

          "I can," he said, taking a seat behind O'Neill and starting to beat steadily on Jack's back with his fist.

          Jack coughed, curling forward and hugging his sides.  Sam handed him a pillow to use as a brace and he nodded his thanks.

          After a few moments Jack sucked in a breath and said, "Teal'c… she said beat me… not kill me… lighten up a little… will ya?"

          "I am sorry, O'Neill."  The Jaffa's blows were lighter, but not by much.

          "It's okay."

          Daniel entered the sleeping chamber with another steaming towel that Sam maneuvered onto Jack's chest.  The heat from the cloth and the constant pounding helped a little and the colonel's eyes dropped closed.  Noisy rales filled the room while he and the others waited for the next coughing fit to hit.  It came, and doubled the soldier over again.

          Daniel rushed out to prep another linen.

          Teal'c alternated between rubbing and pounding while Sam made do with squeezing one of Jack's hands.  When the coughing eased, he was able to sit up again.

          Teal'c's hand stopped in mid-pound.

          "What?" Jack asked.

          "A probe," Teal'c said.  A moment later Jack and Sam could hear it as well.

          Daniel burst into the room.  "Did you hear that?"

          A tired, lopsided smile played across Jack's lips.  "Told ya they'd find us…  Daniel, run out there and wave… when they send it back."

          The archeologist was gone before he got all of the words out.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Major Paul leaned against the table where Airman Gregg sat, monitoring the radio.  He reached up and rubbed at his tired eyes.  Their time was running out.  General Hammond had already warned them that  the search would have to be called off in another forty-eight hours…

          Where the hell were they?

          "Skybird to Homebase, do you read?  Over."

          Gregg keyed the mike.  "Homebase.  We read you, Skybird.  You're a little faint.  Over."

          "We're coming over the last of the structures we missed.  We–"

          The major straightened and turned, his hands gripping the edge of the table while he stared at the radio.

          Gregg glanced up at the older man.  "What do you think, sir?"

          Paul shrugged and shook his head.

          "Eeee- _ha!_ " echoed through the small room.

          Paul keyed the mike.  "Skybird, what–?"

          "We've got 'em, sir!  We've got 'em!  Colonel O'Neill left us a big sign on the roof of a structure at the southern end of the rim!"

          Unable to help himself, the major asked, "What the hell is it?"

          "'Aim high,' sir!"

          "Goddamn," he chuckled.  "I was expecting Kilroy."

          "The Grid location is thirteen west by twenty south.  Helluva a lot closer to the Stargate than we thought they'd be.  We're sending the probe back over now.  I've got Dr. Jackson in sight, sir!  He's wavin' at us!"

          Major Paul grabbed the radio that Gregg offered him.  "Everyone hear that?  Thirteen by twenty.  Move, people!  We'll meet you there!"

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Daniel burst through the temple door, hurried down the stairs, and stumbled out into the hip-deep snow, his gaze searching for the source of the engine drone he could hear echoing over the landscape.  Once he spotted the snowmobile, he jumped up and down, waving his arms like a madman.  "Over here!  Over here!"

          The snowmobile drew closer, another emerging from the trees behind it.  A few moment later the Pararescue men were slogging through the snow toward the temple steps.

          They stopped about ten feet short, knowing they had to make sure Jackson wasn't the bait in some kind of Goa'uld trap.

          Daniel's arms automatically came up to show them that he wasn't armed.  One of the men moved closer to check him over before moving to the front of the temple to do the same.

          When another soldier walked up and smiled at him, Daniel reached out and clasped the man's shoulder.  "It's good to see you.  Colonel O'Neill's very sick."

          Green waved two of the others inside.  "We'll get on it, Dr. Jackson," he said, running back to the snowmobile to grab some of the medical equipment.

          Entering the sleeping chamber, Bull Richards did a quick check of O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c, then radioed Major Paul.  "Okay, they appear clean, but the Colonel's pretty bad.  Pneumonia, I think.  We need to get him to the Gate A-S-A-P."

          "I'll contact SGC, have a medical team waiting for us," the major replied, then looked at the rest of his men.  "Okay, let's get ready to move an injured man."

          "Yes, sir!" they chorused.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Hammond and Fraiser looked up when Lt. Rockland rushed into the briefing room.

          "Sir."

          "What's wrong?" the general demanded.

          "Major Paul and his men have found SG-1, but it looks like Colonel O'Neill might have pneumonia.  They're requesting a medical team be placed on standby."

          Fraiser turned and was gone, nothing more needing to be said.

          "How long?" Hammond asked.

          "Major Paul thought about an hour, if the weather holds.  They're going to do what they can for the Colonel before they leave."

          Hammond nodded, silently willing the major to hurry.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Lt. Jarred and Sgt. Samson lugged more of their medical equipment into the warm temple, following Daniel straight to the sleeping chamber.

          "Morning, sir," Jarred greeted O'Neill even as he pulled out a BP cuff and a stethoscope.

          Jack's eyebrows rose slightly, and a small smile told the man that he was a welcome sight.  "Don't talk, sir," Jarred instructed, setting to work.

          After a quick examination, the lieutenant keyed his lip mike and said, "Major, relay to Gopherhole.  Definitely pneumonia.  I'm going to start treatment.  Is the weather with us?"

          "Affirmative.  We have a window, but it's closing quickly.  Can you be ready to go in twenty?  We should be there by then."

          "Will do, sir."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "Gopherhole, this is Homebase.  It's pneumonia.  We're starting on him now.  Will be moving to the launch pad in twenty.  Over," Major Paul's voice stated in the observation room.  "Should be home in about an hour and twenty."

          "Roger, Homebase, we'll be expecting you," Sgt. MacKenzie replied, grinning.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Lt. Jarred reached into his kit and removed a small cylinder of oxygen, settling the mask onto Jack's face.  "I'm going to give you a shot of antibiotics, sir," he said, prepping the syringe.  "Do you need anything for the pain?"

          O'Neill shook his head.  "No, thanks," he wheezed.

          Jarred nodded, then glanced around at the other members of SG-1, who were watching.  "Could I get you to clear the room, please?"

          "Why?" Daniel asked, stepping closer.

          Sam reached out and gripped the scientist's arm.  "I think what the Lieutenant's trying not to say is that he needs to deliver that injection in a, uh, private setting."

          Daniel's eyes widened slightly, but then he grinned at the scowl that settled across Jack's lips.  He gave the man a thumbs up.  "Good luck, Jack."

          "Thanks," O'Neill replied.  "Your concern is heartwarming, really."

          Sam and Daniel led the way out, Teal'c following along behind them, looking more than a little confused.

          Lt. Jarred turned his attention back to O'Neill.  "Roll over, sir."

          Jack groaned, but he did as he was told.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ *

 

          Jack, bundled in his parka and several blankets and still wearing the oxygen mask, was placed into one of the sleds, Daniel sitting with him.  Carter rode in the second sled, and Teal'c accepted skis from MSgt. Richards.

          They were moving toward the Gate, traveling as fast as the snowmobiles could manage.

          Daniel cast a worried look at Jack when he had to pull the mask off and cough.  Still, he looked better than he had in a while.  "You okay?" he asked.

          Jack nodded, pulling the mask back over his mouth and leaning back against the sled.  It was going to feel damned good to get home this time.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          After being checked out by the medical staff, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c took showers, ate a meal, then reported to the briefing room, where they underwent a preliminary debriefing.  When they were done, Carter asked, "Any news on the Colonel, sir?"

          General Hammond checked his watch.  "Dr. Fraiser should be dropping by any moment now," he said softly.  "But the last I heard, Colonel O'Neill was holding his own and doing fine."

          "Sorry I'm late," Janet said as she stepped into the room.  She slid into a chair and said, "I didn't find any lasting problems due to the exposure and frostbite, but Colonel O'Neill has a nasty case of pneumonia.  It's a good thing you were found when you were."

          "Will he be all right?" Daniel asked.

          The doctor nodded.  "I think so.  We've got him on antibiotics, oxygen, and a mild painkiller so he can rest.  He's a little dehydrated and running a fever, but we'll keep a close eye on him for the next twenty-four hours."

          "How long?" Sam asked.

          "Depending on how well he responds to the antibiotics, I'd say three to five days," Fraiser replied.  "If I can keep him in bed that long."

          "Good luck," Hammond replied dryly.

          The doctor grinned knowingly.  "After that, he'll need to spend some time at home, resting, then some light duty before he can go back into the field."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Jack woke slowly, consciousness filtering in past the painkiller in disjointed stages that he had to carefully fit together.  He drew in as deep a breath as he could, but it didn't trigger a coughing fit – a definite improvement.  He forced his eyes open.

          He was in the SGC infirmary, the head of his bed elevated so it was easy to survey his room.  The second bed was filled, Daniel curled up on his side, sleeping.  Carter was sitting in a chair between the two beds, reading from the thickest book Jack had ever seen.  He could almost make out the title on the spine – something something Quantum Mechanics and something Mathematics.

Damn, he was going to have to cave in soon and have his eyes tested. Glasses…  Hell, he'd probably be saddled with _bifocals_.  _Might as well just take me out and shoot me now_ , he sighed to himself.  Getting old sucked.

He sighed softly.  Well, there were worse things than glasses.  Like dead.

Glancing to his right, he found Teal'c sitting on the floor, his eyes closed as he did whatever it was he did when he did that.

A warm, pleasant feeling filled Jack's chest.  His people.  His friends.  They were too much sometimes.  And why weren't they at home, or at least sleeping in their own quarters?

 _Because they're worried about your sorry ass_ , he scolded himself.

He smiled, noticing for the first time that the oxygen mask had been replaced by nasal tubing.

Teal'c eyes opened and he stared at the colonel.

"Hi," Jack said softly.

"O'Neill," he greeted him equally softly.

Carter closed her book and left it on her chair, crossing to the Colonel's bedside.  "Sir?"

"Carter."

          She smiled.  "How are you feeling?"

          "Better," he said.  "You guys?"

          "We are well," Teal'c replied.

          "Good, good," Jack said, feeling more than just a little uncomfortable.  Was he ready for this again?  Would he ever be ready to be worried and fussed over again?  He decided he better be, because there was no way he was going to avoid it.

He met Carter's gaze for a moment, then said, "Look, I'm going to be fine, okay?  So why don't you take Sleeping Beauty over there and go get some real rest."

          "But–" Carter started.

          "That's an order, Captain, not a request."

          "Yes, sir," she replied, but she was grinning slightly.

          Jack glanced at Teal'c.  "That means you, too."

          The Jaffa's eyebrows arched, but he inclined his head in acquiescence.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Jack stretched out in his recliner, inching his feet closer to the brightly blazing fireplace.  It felt good to be home – _very_ good.  Four days in the infirmary were four days too many as far as he was concerned.  He still had a cough, and less energy than a dead battery, but at least it didn't feel like someone was trying to pull his lungs out.

          They had all been lucky.  Very lucky.  No frostbite, no permanent damage of any sort.  He closed his eyes and relaxed.

          _Nothing permanent except that mother hen expression on Carter's and Daniel's faces_ , he thought ruefully.

          He coughed softly and sniffled.  At least their attempts to discover what it was Apophis had been doing at the abandoned mines was keeping the pair busy, and away from the recovering colonel.

          Good thing, too.  If Daniel brought over _Hitchhiker's Guide_ one more time to read to him, Jack wasn't sure he'd be responsible for his actions.

          He opened his eyes and stared into the dancing flames.  Oh, who was he kidding, anyway?  It felt good, damned good, to have people who cared about him the way they did. They were his family – if you could call a group of brilliant eclectic weirdos and a Jaffa family, and Jack decided he could, easily.

          There was a knock at his front door.  "Yeah, come in!" he yelled, then paid for it with a coughing jag.

          "O'Neill, are you in need of aid?"

          Jack shook his head, then reached for his coffee, taking several sips to stifle the tickle in his throat.  "Teal'c, what're you doing here?  No, _how'd_ you get here?  Are Daniel and Carter back?"

          "Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson are still on PX1-971.  General Hammond had Sergeant Nancy Shellmen drive me."

          "And you're here for…?" Jack asked.

          "Dr. Fraiser thought it wise that someone stay with you for the next few days," Teal'c explained.  "Since Captain Carter and–"

          "I get it the picture.  They gave you the babysitting duty."

          Teal'c glanced around a little warily.  "I do not see any seated infants, O'Neill."

          Jack snorted.  He motioned to the second recliner.  "Take a load off– Uh, have a seat," he corrected himself before the Jaffa would ask.

          Teal'c crossed to the chair and sat.

          "So," Jack said, "since you're stuck here, what do you want to do?"

          "I do not need to do anything."

          Jack smiled.  No, he wouldn't.  Which meant he could talk the Jaffa into fetching and carrying, watching sports on TV, or just about anything else he wanted to.  Damn, friendship wasn't so bad after all.

          He snorted softly and shook his head.  Who was he trying to kid?  Having a family again felt better than good, and he couldn't deny that.  They had definitely gotten past his barriers, and there was no going back, even if he wanted to.  And for the first time in a very long time, he knew he didn't want to go back.

          "These voices… these quiet words," Jack quoted softly, more for himself than his companion, "recall me at a bound from the terrible loneliness… and fear of death by which I had been almost destroyed…  They are more to me than life, and more than fear, they are the strongest, most comforting thing there is anywhere… they are the voices of my comrades."[1]

          "I could not agree more, O'Neill," Teal'c replied, dipping his head.

          Jack nodded, a little surprised the man had understood, but not too much.  "So," he said, "you wanna see if the Av's are playing?"

  


* * *

[1]  From _All Quiet on the Western Front._


End file.
